Army Wives - TV Fanatic

Susan Lucci Enlists for Army Wives

matt@tvfanatic.com (TV Fanatic Staff) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:01:50 EST

Susan Lucci is on her way back to the small screen.

The soap opera legend has signed on for multiple episodes of Army Wives, Michael Ausiello reports, as she'll portray the wife of a retired general. Look for Lucci's character to bond with Kim Delaney's Claudia, who will face a new rival herself in Kelli Williams (Lie to Me).

Lucci, of course, starred for decades on All My Children, which went off the air this summer. She'll appear on at least two episodes of this Lifetime hit, while Williams will be around for at least seven.

No season premiere date has been set yet for Army Wives.

Army Wives Season Finale Review: Major Changes...

carissa@tvfanatic.com (Carissa Pavlica) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:23:49 EST

For a season finale, with such incredibly far-reaching changes, this didn't feel like much of a finale at all. A series finale, maybe, but we already know that the show is renewed for next year.

What are the odds that every one of the characters won't come back? I'd say nil. So where does this leave them? I can't think of another show that has thrown such a huge change into the mix at the end of a season.

Honestly, it's really difficult to talk about this episode, but I'll give it a shot.

Let's start with Michael and the drunk driving incident: I was wondering when that video would come into play. Two episodes ago, they showed it in the previews, and then there was no mention of it last week.

It did look bad for Michael. The police could have run the entire video to try to take the heat off of General Holden. Why didn't they do that? In spite of the fact their own department leaked the cuts of the video to the press, they didn't do much to help him out.

The Hell with it, I just need to get this out there. I can talk about the episode like it was any other, but it wasn't. They are closing Ft. Marshall. Although they've hinted at this many different years, I'm shocked that it's happening. We'll no longer see the beautiful sets, such as the Holden's porch and garden. It's weird the things I think about, but I'm already missing the them!

The decision was made for the Morans, they're moving to California. Perhaps there will be some sort of a migration in the same direction.

Elsewhere, thankfully, Roxy and Trevor have already gotten back on track, so that he can be the father his kids really need right now. It's like they took every loose end and tried to tie it up. It was both exciting and worrisome.

Meanwhile, David was telling his friends tall tales about his birth mom, but still unwilling to accept Joan as his new mother. When Joan told him they were never "giving him back," he finally understood what a family was. When David called Joan "mom," I got a little teary-eyed.

The whole episode was about family, and that no matter where you go, the family you make along the way will always be a part of your life. I can only hope that this means the majority of our characters will be sticking around for season six. Hollywood has a way of making that happen, but I'd venture to guess we will lose one or two wives along the way.

"Farewell to Arms" was poignant, thoughtful and an honor to all of those we have grown to love over the years. I was blindsided by this development, and would love to hear your thoughts and where we might go from here.

We'll see you back in the winter of 2012!

Army Wives Sesaon Finale Trailer: Watch Now!

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:09:07 EST

Following last Sunday night's penultimate episode of Army Wives, our critic was left with a question: how will this lead into the finale? What events can we expect to take place on "Farewell to Arms?"

Viewers should prepare for Tanya trying to move on; Roxy growing closer to opening the truck stop; Claudia Joy struggling with the treatment toward her and Michael; and a piece of news to take everyone by surprise.

We'll rundown the season finale soon after it ends. For now, enjoy this preview for it:

Army Wives Season Five Finale Preview

Army Wives Review: "Fire Fight"

carissa@tvfanatic.com (Carissa Pavlica) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 00:31:02 EST

"Fire Fight" wasn't an episode I would expect to lead us into next week's finale.

There wasn't a lot going on, and it was more about us watching the every day lives of our cherished friends on Army Wives. Of course, that usually means that something huge and unexpected is headed our way.

The best part of the hour, for me, was Denise being reinstated as a nurse and running into Tanya. It turns out she has been assigned to post to finish out her tour of duty in the hospital and they will be working together.

To put it lightly, Tanya wasn't happy to see Denise. She tried to avoid her like the plague. What she forgot was that as the love of Jeremy's life, Denise wasn't going to give up easily. At one point, Denise asked Tanya to go to a fair with her and Frank - and Tanya said she was on a strict diet.

That, of course, spun my mind around the possibility that she is indeed pregnant with Jeremy's baby. It would be very unlikely that there wasn't a reason she was back in town, even though she didn't want to talk about it. It could be as simple as coming back to base to be reminded of Jeremy; after all her family didn't know him.

It could be that not speaking about him was more difficult than being surrounded by his memory. In any event, I'm still going with pregnancy. Especially because she showed up at Denises' door and threw herself into her arms saying "I'm so alone." I really look forward to their relationship growing.

Instead of Pamela and Chase being the couple to watch, as I thought the beginning of the season, I now find them completely boring. There is nothing interesting about Pamela's job as a police woman, and now that Chase had a taste of what it is like to worry about her, he suggested they consider moving to California for a job offer he received at a high profile security firm.

Frankly, I won't miss them if they go. I think it's time to get some new blood onto the show. And not just in the way of children.

David has proven to be quite a handful for the Burtons, but that's to be expected when he's never known the warmth and protection of a real home. His presence has given us a better view of TJ LeBlanc, and I'm glad that he has grown since the beginning of the season.

He's turned into a good kid, and it's nice that he has tried to befriend David to take a little of the pressure off. He knows first hand what it's like to be in trouble and to make the wrong move, so sharing that knowledge with David makes for a nice sense of growing friendship.

It appears that Michael has his head on straight again after dealing with the many issues he faced after returning home. It worries me that it will be short lived, as finales rarely end on a happy note. (By the way, didn't the previews for this week make it seem he would be guilty of DUI? I hate previews that intentionally throw you off the scent.)

My wishes for next season would be that Trevor tries for OCS, the Moran's leave town, Denise Joy and Frank get a grandchild from their son's true love, the Burtons settle into a happy life with their children and Michael and Claudia Joy find some happy medium, allowing them to work together for the betterment of the post. He may not get a third star, but that doesn't mean he can't command with honor.

As for next week's finale, bring it on! I'm prepared to be surprised and for our families lives to be hanging in the balance as we await next season. How about you?

Army Wives Episode Trailer: "Fire Fight"

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Thu, 26 May 2011 13:09:05 EST

We honor our brave soldiers for Memorial Day this weekend, so it's only fitting for Army Wives to take a Sunday night off.

But the Lifetime series will return on June 5 with "Fire Fight," an installment that focuses on the following storylines:

Emmalin and Michael's disagree about their futures, placing Claudia Joy in the middle.
Denise heads back to work.
Trevor considers Officer Candidate School.

Fire Fight Promo

Army Wives Review: "Drop Zone"

carissa@tvfanatic.com (Carissa Pavlica) — Sun, 22 May 2011 22:44:27 EST

As usual on Army Wives, Claudia Joy got great news about her own career as Michael received bad news about his. She wasn't even able to tell him she passed her bar before he closed the door on her with his own news about his former plebe receiving the commanding post at West Point.

Also as usual, he was upset with her for not sharing her news with him, for treating him with kid gloves. These two spend far too much time skirting each other's feelings. When it's all said and done, Michael somehow makes Claudia feel silly no matter what choice she makes.

Michael always manages to seem so together, but this week we saw the toll recent events have taken upon him. He's practically begging for someone to show him the way to his future. Talking with a superior may have been the worse decision he could have made, as it involved more than one strong cocktail, and Pamela nabbed him for DUI as the show ended. I cannot imagine what he will be feeling in next Sunday night.

Elsewhere, the Burtons have a full family again. David was so sweet taking his favorite toys around to the other children at the orphanage (is that what it was?) in preparation for going to his new home. Once he got there, there was something up with he and Joan. He seemed almost afraid to get close to her. I really felt for her when David turned his head at her kiss.

Sometimes, I notice the strangest things on sets, but I fell in love with the linen organizer in the Burton's bathroom. Their whole bedroom and adjoining bath looked so warm and inviting.

"Drop Zone" again gave Trevor the opportunity to show his leadership skills, and Frank was so impressed he's expressing his desire to see Trevor go to OCS. That's quite an honor for an enlisted man. With his marriage to Roxy back on the road to stability, it could be just the right time to made the jump (no pun intended).

Sadly, we didn't seemore of Chase and Pamela. I could swear I saw Jeremy Davidson in the new pilot Pan Am; I'm wondering if we're going to lose him just as we got him as a more permanent member of the community. They have not been the family I expected once his orders changed and they remarried.

I was embarrassed that Pamela jumped to the conclusion that Boone would hold their past against them when evaluating her. If nothing else, they were friends before she chose Chase. Boone never gave me the impression he would want anything but what is best for Pamela, even if it was another man.

Now he's with a money grubber, but at least he has someone to pass the time with and his money to. Pamela seemed shocked that he had someone at all, and was a bit judgmental when they met. It was great to have Boone back and I hope he makes some more appearances in the future

Emmalin was always so strong and such a fighter, it never even dawned on me she would have trouble in college. Apparently, it's more than run of the mill freshman blues, as she is already on academic probation and off the hockey team after all the work she put in to get there. I'm wondering if she might not come back to post and join the Army. Something tells me Holden's would have a very difficult time with that decision.

What did everyone else think about the episode?

Army Wives Review: "Battle Buddies"

carissa@tvfanatic.com (Carissa Pavlica) — Sun, 15 May 2011 22:26:59 EST

Trevor's life sure seemed to be hitting rock bottom this week. Drinking and throwing up on Frank's shoes had to be as bad as it will get, right?

Whatever the underlying circumstance is, it's not only wrecking his marriage but his enlisted life, as well. Frank laying into him had to be utterly embarrassing. I was wondering whether it would make a difference. I'm happy to have been proven wrong.

When Denise ran into Roxy and offered her hand in friendship, Roxy turned away by lying and saying everything was okay. I was hoping she wouldn't try to go through this alone, and Denise didn't give up on her. I like how deep their friendships go, but that Denise still didn't know Whit was Finn's father.
The last thing I expected Trevor to say to Roxy was that he didn't know who she was any more. If anything, she has remained Roxy to the core. Trevor, on the other hand, has lost his ability to connect with her, as everything he fell for no longer appeals to him.

And yet when Denise spoke with Roxy, she spoke to her in a way to put her soldier first. Looking at it from the outside, sitting on my couch, it's easy to want to think of it as a civilian marriage, but it truly isn't. Being married to a soldier comes with a completely different set of responsibilities.

It was a great moment when Roxy finally admitted to Trevor she had to make sure she could still care for her boys on her own in the wake of Jeremy's death.

Elsewhere, the Burtons are so close to finding a foster child. The young boy they met was just perfect. Intelligent, charming and friendly. They all got along so well. I guess things are never as perfect as hoped, though. The reactions from both Roland and Joan were heart wrenching when they learned he was HIV positive.

I'm not sure what my reaction would be, but I can't think of two people better prepared to handle such a child, despite their own hesitation.

There are so many possible complications, but they have proven their ability to remain strong through the worst of times. I was so glad they decided to go ahead with the adoption, and I look forward to seeing them welcome him to the family.

I have to be honest, I am not finding the work Claudia Joy does enhancing Army Wives. It's almost like a bit of a procedural being tossed into the middle of the program, and I find it distracting. Maybe it's because we know the main characters so well that I find it so difficult to become involved with her cases of the week, but they are not adding anything to a show I already enjoy on its own level.

Claudia Joy seems to want to focus on sexual misconduct against women in the military because she can't believe that in 2011 a woman still needs "Battle Buddies" to survive the sexual abuse of her fellow soldiers.

That could be a crusade they could really dig into. Maybe she'll start her own firm, once she passes her bar exam.

It was a relatively joyful episode, with our families changing for the better. The one thing I wish going forward is that we get to see more of the Morans. They got married and disappeared off the canvas. Time to reel them back in!

Army Wives Review: Welcome Home, 23rd Division!

carissa@tvfanatic.com (Carissa Pavlica) — Sun, 08 May 2011 22:36:30 EST

The scene when they showed the planes flying in and the families readying their homes for the return of their loved ones, made me feel so humble. It amazes me that we actually have people who are still willing not only to fight for our own country, but to assist others in their own fights for freedom.

That the whole post gathers to greet the troops is even more touching. I'm so glad we have a program on television that shows the other side of serving our country.

I say the other side, since so much of our entertainment focuses on the negative. So, yes, I cried. Darn this show and it's tear jerking capabilities!

When I think of the cast taking time out of their real lives to visit bases, it makes it even more emotional.

Denise really stepped up to the plate in not only going to greet the returning soldiers, but in taking special care to welcome those who didn't have someone there to greet them already.

That she held it together while talking with the troops who served with Jeremy showed how much strength she has. The love in Frank's eyes as he watched her made me tear up all over again.

Am I the only one who thought that Claudia Joy might have been having reciprocal feelings toward Chandler? More likely I was putting my own feeling onto the character, because I don't know how I could deal with being a soldier's wife and still have to face all of the difficulties life throws your way, but without your partner.

It was so romantic that Michael wanted to skip lamb chops and head upstairs with his wife when he got home. Now that they're an empty nest, they can have a lot more romantic scenes together. It's an exciting proposition.

It's great how well Denise knows Claudia Joy, and even though she said she wouldn't tell Michael about the kiss, Denise knew she would anyway. When she went ahead and did it, I wanted to scream.

It had to happen right after his first good conversation with Grant. Michael never trusted him to begin with, but he does trust his wife. I was glad they took a route I wouldn't have, because it made for better television. Michael is a force to be reckoned with, and it made him quite attractive.

I was so angry at Roxy for letting down Whit and his crew. They've been working their butts off on her behalf, and because she was too afraid to tell Trevor of her plans, they're out of work.

It's too bad the troubles between Roxy and Trevor have continued. Normally, they would have been acting like bunnies when he got home, but even that wasn't on the table for them. It didn't even take him knowing about Whit to be unhappy to be home.

Trevor was way out of line when he punched Whit, but I wasn't surprised. To say that finding Whit only added fuel to the fire would be an understatement. Theirs is a marriage being consumed by flames.

It seems we won't have to watch Joan and Roland make silly videos in the hopes a teenage girl will want to bestow her child upon them. It seemed rather convenient when one of Roland's addict patients failed her drug test and overdosed.

Lucky for Roland, her son Bobby looks to him as a father figure, even drawing him a picture of them on a boat together. I really thought he would be the new addition to the Burton family, but fighting the system for a chance to be Bobby's foster parents was, by all accounts, not worth the effort.

Even Claudia Joy didn't have good news for them. Would I be remiss in guessing that the mother might grant them custody, anyway? In the meantime, they saw a whole playground of children just waiting for someone to step in to love them. The Burtons will not be a one child household for much longer.

"Countermeasures" set the stage for the rest of the season. I look forward to seeing if any of my predictions come true. Will the LeBlanc marriage survive? Will the Burtons soon be foster parents? Are we in for more romantic scenes between Claudia Joy and Michael? What are your thoughts?

As always, I look forward to hearing from you in the comments.

Army Wives: Renewed For Season Six!

steve@iscribelimited.com (Steve Marsi) — Tue, 03 May 2011 14:41:44 EST

The TV renewals are rolling in today.

The latest to be granted a new season in a no-brainer move? Lifetime's Army Wives, which has posted series highs of up to 4.8 million viewers in its current, fifth season.

A military family drama, Army Wives is the top-rated cable drama among viewers 18-49 by some metrics, and has been a hit for Lifetime since the day it premiered.

Fox gave Bones the green light for a seventh season just a few hours ago. For a look at shows that really could go either way, here's TVF's recent bubble watch.

Army Wives Review: "Supporting Arms"

carissa@tvfanatic.com (Carissa Pavlica) — Sun, 01 May 2011 22:46:13 EST

So many of our characters are in turmoil this week on Army Wives. They are struggling alone, some with and some without their partners at their sides.

I knew, as soon as Denise turned away from the stove after crying over spilling some water that she would burn Frank's sandwich. I love how much their relationship has grown, and how they truly support each other.

I can remember a time when I thought there was little chance their marriage could be saved. I am so glad I as wrong.

When Denise's friend expressed anger at losing her husband in a meaningless war during their support group, Frank hit the wall. Not literally, but at the idea that anyone would diminish what his fellow servicemen do for their country pushed him right out of the room.

I love that Army Wives is not afraid to show both sides of the story.

Watching Army Wives its easy to forget not only do our service men and women provide an incredibly honorable and needed service, but there is a completely different side of America that questions why we need the armed forces and whether our sacrifices are worthy of the issues at hand.

The state of their marriage was highlighted in "Supporting Arms" as Trevor lacked any desire to share with Roxy the news of his promotion to Staff Sergeant. With her building the truck stop with Whit and Trevor holding out on her, things are going to get worse before they get better.

It hurt to see Claudia Joy soldiering on both at work and in the face of her recent diagnosis without the support of any of her friends. It's too bad she and Pamela are not closer, as Pamela is in such a good place she would provide a strong shoulder on which Claudia Joy could lean. Instead, she welcomed the support of Grant Chandler instead of bothering anyone else.

It was really awkward when Michael and Chandler were butting heads over the phone, especially when Michael was completely in the dark at what Chandler was doing for Claudia Joy. There has been no love lost between the two men, for sure, but what an odd position for Chandler to be in, keeping a secret of such magnitude from Claudia Joy's husband. Obviously, both Claudia Joy and Chandler paid a price for sharing that secret that neither of them expected.

After all the thought Joan and Roland put into having another child, they learned a pregnancy could kill Joan. It seems every time they try to make a decision in this regard, there is yet another tree downed in their path. This remained true as they discovered the difficulty the families of enlisted men and women face when they want to adopt.

What this episode really provided for us was a series of secrets and revelations that will need to be shared next week. The 23rd Division is coming home and that will open a whole new can of worms that we have yet to encounter on this season of Army Wives.

I think that's when things will truly get interesting.